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Hello Sonya,

As you can see from the many responses you have received you have touched upon a bit of a hot topic!

I wanted to chime in just to answer your question as factually as possible.

A board certified Facial Plastic Surgeon is a Physician who has complete training and board certification in Ear, Nose and Throat. This means they have extensive experience in all aspects of medicine and surgery involving the face, head and neck. This includes diseases, birth defects, trauma, cancer and cosmetics.

The next step is completion of a one to two year fellowship dedicated specifically to cosmetic and reconstructive procedures of the Face and Neck. Some choose to be more cosmetic, some choose to be more reconstructive, some do both. After completing fellowship and completing a certain number of procedures they can then sit for a very difficult and specialized board exam in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Upon passing the exam, existing board members determine if the candidate will be approved as a diplomat of the board.

For more information please see: www.abfprs.org

For me personally I never had any interest in body work, breast augmentations or tummy tucks. I was always fascinated with Facial Anatomy and the specialized procedures that the field offered. I would rather be highly focused and highly experienced in the Face and Neck than any other area.

You have been given lots of good information here and keep doing the right thing - ask lots of questions and do your research!

Good Luck,

Dr. Jafri

Sonya,

There are many similarities between Facial Plastic Surgeons and Plastic Surgeons - the first is that they are both experts of the face. However, there are also many differences. As many have noted below, plastic surgeons are the only speciality that also specialize on the rest of the body. While cosmetic surgery is a core topic in plastic surgery training, some plastic surgeons go on to do fellowships specifically in aesthetic plastic surgery to include additional training in facelifts and rhinoplasty. Just as some ENT or other specialities go on to do fellowship in facial plastic surgery which concentrates on cosmetic surgery of the head and neck. Asking your surgeon about their training is very important in choosing your surgeon. You should also preview their before and after pictures and talk to some of their previous patients. Good luck in choosing your surgeon.

I hope this was helpful.

David Shafer, MD

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Plastic surgery is a field with a history as long as time. Trephination was a form of craniofacial surgery (a plastic surgery discipline). Plastic surgery was performed in the 16th century when noses were reconstructed from parts of the arm after battle wounds had rendered the noses destroyed.

In the 20th century, a plastic surgeon in Germany, Jacques Joseph, described the first facelifts and rhinoplasties. In 1931, the Plastic Surgeons formed an association that's goal was to define the specialty,monitor the education of its members and strive for excellence within the fields under its umbrella.

As a result of this wonderful association, the first kidney transplant was performed by a plastic surgeon. The first skin grafts were performed by plastic surgeons. Plastic surgeons have been the driving force behind the repair of battle scars and war associated injuries. Plastic surgeons have been the inventors of microsurgery, the techniques to replant limbs, save lives and make our daily existence a little better.

Plastic surgeons have also been the improvisers of the facelift, the rhinoplasty, the otoplasty, the blepharoplasty, liposuction, body contouring and almost all other procedures related to cosmetic surgery.

Many Doctors trained in ENT, General surgery, Orthopedics and Opthalmology have applied for, and trained under, the tutelage of plastic surgeons to become plastic surgeons.

The training programs in plastic surgery are strict and thorough. The Board certification in plastic surgery is strict and thorough, thereby ensuring quality doctors providing quality care. Other fields have recently endeavoured to create separate training programs and separate board certifications.

I am proud of my training and the heritage of my field. I would think that most people desiring the best training would choose to be trained by pioneers and leaders in their fields. Facial plastic surgeons are not trained by those surgeons.

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Facial plastic surgeons are different from plastic surgeons.  They do not have the same training as platic surgeons.  There focus is only fromt he neck up.  They do not do an y body work. Plastic surgeons can do it all.  However, it doesn't mean that the facial plastic surgeons don't do good work on the face nor does it mean that plastic surgeons are any better at it either.

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